Shortest chapter ever. I had more to it, but I got annoyed with it and just ended up cutting it out. But I needed an update. oO;
Edmund had so many thoughts filling up his mind; he was surprised he hadn't snapped at the tension. Pacing wasn't exactly the course of action he had planned to take, but he was spinning on his heels, muttering under his breath, trying to get himself under control. After all...it wasn't like the world was ending. No. No! Far from it...
Far from it indeed.
He didn't know why his cheeks were flushed. He didn't get why his mind was such a whirl. He had things that needed to be done. Papers to be filled out. Sword practice to be mastered. News to...spread..?
Oh, dear Aslan. He was losing it.
He leaned against the wall tiredly, groaning. How people got along with this distraction was beyond him. It really was a lovely thing...it was...just...difficult.
Lila had gone out with Susan and Lucy for a ride. Oh...she wouldn't be back for ages...
Hm. He was...disliking that fact. Very much, actually.
He was going to suffocate himself. He needed to go for a walk...or get some fresh air...or do something. Productive, preferably. His chores, you might call them, had already been pushed back a day...er...two days...and it was piling up. That didn't mean he wanted to go do it. Heavens, no. Paperwork was quite boring.
Edmund left his room. That, he had decided, would be his first action.
And then, maybe...just maybe...he would locate his brother. Peter, he had the slightest feeling, would either be hysterical, or downright angry about the whole matter. It wasn't much motivation, really, talking to his brother and just casually tell him that he had feelings for this woman they had found, and that they had already kissed behind Peter's back. Hm.
Fumbling with the cuff of his sleeve, he half walked, half wandered through the hallway.
Hm...Lila. Lila Lila Lila. Liliana.
Brown hair. Brown eyes. Pale skin. Nothing special.
He blinked.
Such a marvel of silky, flowing hair, carrying the distinct dark hue of chocolate. Deep, captivating eyes that sparkled when she laughed. Such a monotone of smooth skin, oh so soft to the touch.
...He could change a plaintive girl into a wonder of beauty in his eyes. Didn't anyone else see it? No. They didn't. But he could. He could.
...Well. Alright. Wonder of beauty was an exaggeration. ...Granted, it was a small one.
Thinking. Edmund decided he didn't much care to think. It proved to be quite distracting.
So distracting, he ran straight into a displeased girl. He stifled a gasp of pain as her elbow caught his stomach rather harshly.
"Sorry," he said, backing away and placing a hand over his sore spot. Maible glared. He didn't much notice.
Stiffly, she ran a finger through her straight, flaxen hair, twirling it delicately despite her hard gaze. She glanced at where her elbow had marked him. "Such an incident wouldn't have happened if one made use of his eyes," she muttered. He ignored her.
"Have you seen Peter?" he demanded before he even realized he had asked just that. Wasn't he supposed to be procrastinating that little talk? Oh dear, his priorities were already scattered every which way. He was going to get himself into trouble if he didn't keep himself in line.
She offered him a dry look. "Indeed, I have." He waited, looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to continue.
When she didn't, he rolled his eyes, annoyed. Were all women this air headed? It sure seemed like it-- Wait, what? No! No, they weren't. Not all of them. ...However, some of them did bear that trait. "Do you know where Peter is?" he asked, deciding maybe elaboration would get him somewhere.
Her teal eyes narrowed, a glint to them. "He isn't pleased with you, don't you know?" He drew back, straightening and paling slightly. How did she know anything about that? ...It didn't matter. He glared at her, keeping composure. "He's simply been raving on and on about you, how odd you've been acting...how feral you were to him last night..." She toyed with her hair, offering him a small sneer. "And, oh, the discovery he thought he had made. He wouldn't talk with us about it though."
Keeping composure was getting extremely hard. "Oh Aslan," he muttered, biting his lip. Oh Aslan, Aslan, Aslan. Peter...discovery? Somehow, Edmund didn't much like the way that sounded. ...What could Peter have possibly discovered...last night...and...
Last night was when he had found Lila at the fountain. Last night was when they had...er...
He did pale. Had his brother...seen...that?
A small smirk tugged at Maible's lips. Screw being proper-- he wanted to run that woman through so badly.
"Us?" he questioned, trying to sound casual and to get the subject off of himself.
"Queen Susan and I." Ah.
Good Aslan. How reliable really was Maible, anyways? He should have known better than to let her get to him. Even so, Peter wouldn't discuss family issues with a guest. More than likely it had been Su and Peter talking with each other, and Maible had eavesdropped on them. The little bitch.
"You're being very rude," he stated blandly. "You've still not answered my question. Do you, or don't you, know where Peter is?"
She blinked, and for the slightest moment, her eyes left him, averting away, her sneer fading. But just as quick as they had left, they had snapped back to him. She smiled sweetly. He went on scowling. "I daresay, King Edmund, I doubt you'll be needing me for that question." He rolled his eyes again. Great Aslan, how annoying could one girl be?
He was about to open his mouth and say some rather nasty things to her, and, since it was proving necessary, force the answer from her throat, when a firm hand caught his shoulder. The hold was so tight and uncomfortably rough, he flinched. "Is everything alright, Maible?" It was a different voice. Familiar.
Edmund managed to flick his gaze up to the face of the figure standing beside him. It was Peter.